Thule 9105

Does anyone have experience of the above carrier? I like the look of it clearing the lights and holding the wheels as well as the top tubes so the bikes don’t knock the car to pieces. It’ll need to fit on my golf and the wife’s a6 so really don’t want to go down roof bar or tow bar mounted route but want it to be nice and strong as well as pretty easy to fit.
Thoughts? Oh and if someone had one for sale in the south west…

They don’t fit all golfs due to different rear spoiler sizes. Very solid, but with a 60lb limit I only ever carried one bike on mine when I used it on my Audi. Always remember to lock the clamp and use an extra strap otherwise the bike may work loose on long journeys. Fuel consumption is a bit pants. Main point is it may not fit your golf even though its meant to, I opted for roof bars instead as tow bars weren’t really an option for me.

Hmmm, need to check if it will fit onto a 62 plate golf blue motion. It’s a work car so I really don’t want to buy roof bars for it and then have to do different ones for my wife’s new car as well.

Anyone else have any opinions?

I have just bought one of these for my 1999 Nissan Almera. My car is not listed as suitable but it fits fine (as does the non-high Thule clip-on 9103).

For some reason it had been partly dissasembled and was a a bit of pig trying to put it back together by myself; it’s pretty heavy.

Got it second-hand for £60 on ebay. For that price, I figured that if if didn’t fit, it could easily resell it and not lose money.

I have seen photos somewhere of one mounted on a car with a small spoiler.

Keep checking ebay, one is bound to turn up local to you.

You’ll have to have an ambivalent attitude towards the paintwork on your car as it will take the odd chunk out, either at the roof or bumper. Also there will be one time you open the boot, forget the empty carrier is on, then said boot lowers rather more rapidly than planned!

Bit of a burden when off the car. Fitting and removal easy once you’ve got the hang of it, but not something you’ll do for pleasure.

Roof rack much better, but better still are the tow bar mounted ones.

Thule roof racks are modular, so you may only need to buy different foot pads between the cars. In any case there’s a healthy eBay market so you don’t need to buy new. Just get the required codes from Halfords…. Roof bars easy to store when off the car.

I know, I currently have roof bars for my old A4. They were great only they don’t fit the gold or the A6. I’d have to get different bars for each, and I’m trying to find a solution that suits mainly the golf, but could be used when going away for the weekend in the bigger car. Inside doesn’t work as that’s normally full of luggage an mini transapp.

I use one as my wife didn’t want a towbar fitting to an already long enough Volvo. Fits fine once you’ve got the hang of it but make sure you use the paintwork protectors under the lower hooks that go over the bottom lip of the boot.

Takes a couple of bikes easily and i’ve even improvised strapping on a third child’s bike behind the upright. For short journeys i just use the top tube clamps/wheel straps but for longer journeys i supplement these with a strap from the bikes to the roof rails.

I prefer it now to the towbar mount as it requires no electrical work to fit lighting boards etc. The only real disadvantage i can think of is the fact you can only carry 2 adult bikes on it.

I have the non high 9103 – very secure but I’ll second the paint chipping. I only use it occasionally so am happy enough to faff around putting extra bits of rubber on where it clamps. But if I needed a rack every weekend this wouldn’t be it.

Does anyone want to add any updates? Thinking of going with one of these after years of a tow bar mounted rack & being quoted £500+ for a tow bar on my new car.
Tow bar rack now sold.